Surprising, Memories of this place are still quite clear . . . .
April 8th, 2007 @ 03:37
Posted by: John Whipple Sr.
It looks so little in this picture. . . It was so *Big* in my mind. . . . Somewhere inside of 1965-1969. . . .a million years ago and just yesterday!
April 8th, 2007 09:52
If you look on the far right you will see the back a 48 Plymouth Coupe in better than perfect condition. Beautiful metallic Green hand rubbed lacquer paint with Bucron white wall tires. Powered by a real Corvette V8 engine with a real Corvette 4 speed transmission and 4:11 rear end. I totally sound proofed the car 4 inch thick insulation in the firewall, doors, floor and trunk.. . .even behind the orange headliner. When you drove over a railroad track you had to look back to see if you really ran over a track. . . .it was sooooo smooth. . . . .and soooooo quick! It was a true “sleeper”. . . .you did not have to race it because you did not have to.
I won the 1st place award at the Mopar Craftsmanship Show at the Joe Freeman Coliseum
even though it was Chevy powered. There was talk about disqualifying it because of that fact, but the they didn’t. I remember what the announcer said to clarify the judges decision.
First place goes to a first place car!
There were about 35 cars entered.. .and there were a few disillusioned die-hard Mopar buffs that had some pertty nice stuff..
I had planned to give that car to Leslie for high school. . . .but, ”Things were supposed to turn out different than they did.”Â
April 8th, 2007 20:47
The Bright Red Cushman Truckster with coke in tow earned it’s keep hot shot servicing of local vehicles in the “Fairfield” subdivision at Starcrest.
Not Shown . . .is a red and white 1960 double doored Volkswagen transporter tire truck with a bold “FIRESTONE” sign on the roof (probably in the wash bay)
Also a “FOX” motorized ice cream kart with a stripped red and white surrey top probably in the service bay by the door to the 8ft ice cream freezer box.
We were one well equipped Texaco Station. Right down to selling fresh farm eggs and milk and bread and sold out daily. We sold ice cream by the gallons. We even sold watermelons and carpet grass in season.
We had 5 employees, 2 full time and 3 part time and we were open 16/7. The station won the “Fastest Growing Texaco Station in San Antonio” award at the annual Texaco Party at the El Tropicano in 1968.
It was a trip!
I was an Independent Texaco Dealer. . . .Note the sign over the door “JOHNNY WHIPPLE.” One of the very few that survived the impossible dream in impossible times in the service station business.
Trust your “Car to the man that wears the Star”
Oh! Yes! Gas was 25.9 cents when I went in and 31.9 cents when I left . . . .
April 9th, 2007 11:55
I dispensed a ton of gas out of those old metal, round glass windowed pumps. You would push the lever all the way back and that force would make the mechanical numbers on the face reset. Three or four dollars was a tank full and you got full service for that. I had a red rag hanging out my back pocket and a green Texaco shirt and cleaned people’s windows and checked their oil. My 11 year old self would ask if they wanted the air in their tires checked and they’d usually say yes because they didn’t want me staring in their window with my big buck teeth. I’d go from tire to tire and they’d be wondering if I knew what I was doing.
When business was slow I’d drive that old Cushman cart or this other Cushman Eagle scooter that Dad had around the station about 850 times.
April 10th, 2007 09:38
Yeah,
I remember that scooter. It was a big blue 8HP Cushman Eagle. I bought it to use the engine in it for the Truckster which was 5hp. 4hp was the original 1940 to 1953 standard Cushman.
I never actually did it because I had overhauled the Truckster engine and it did very well and since it kinda tilted on turns. Anyway, I figured faster would not be better and 45 mph was fast enough for me anyway.
The other factor was since I was a boy the legal horsepower limit had been changed to a new class of drivers license for 13 to 16 year olds and only allowed a 3hp. . . .which introduced a new breed of scooters sold.
The Allstate by Sears (which was a Cushman). . . . .the Highlander by
Cushman. . . .and the Wizzer. all fit this new law.
The one you were riding at the station was capable of 65 to 70 mph and had gears. I don’t think you used gears on the station driveway if I remember right it was mostly round d’ round. . . . but, It would boogie down the road if it got loose. . .and the police already knew that there were no 3hp Eagles. They could stop you and give you a horsepower test and you would be 3 times the legal limit and give you a DWO. . .. .Driving While Overpowered. . . punishable by calling your daddy. . .in those days.
I remember your helping at the station and you patterned yourself after Roger Bordinhaus (16) who bought his first motorcycle while working after school. ..remember him?
April 10th, 2007 10:22
Yes, I do remember him. He was a good guy. Whipples were always fascinated with cars but he was the first guy I ever spent a lot of time with who was crazy about cars. He used to try to name the car pulling in by the sound of the engine.
I’m sure I’ve said this before but my record label offices now are just across the highway from our old gas station. It was the last of the really old ones in the area, they just tore it down last year and have now built a brand new one.
April 11th, 2007 03:55
Things don’t last forever. . . .I always kinda knew that…but, Now I am just realizing it!
Change is part of life. . .
There was a story once about a church somewhere in Europe on a hill with a bell tower and it had beautiful bells you could hear for miles.
A young boy was hired by the church to ring those bells and do other chores at certain times daily. There was special rings for church information broadcasted to all the people in the town and the entire valley below at the exact right order and time.
He loved his job and thanked God everyday for the opportunity to do this. In a short time he learned which ropes and how to pull them. Upon his 70th birthday the priest called him and told him that he wanted him to train a new bellboy. His heart hurt and was sad by this news. He wanted to protest but knew …you just don’t protest in God’s house.
The new boy came and he showed him the ropes. How and when and why. The boy learned quickly. And then came his last day and he was to leave and give his old room to the boy. . . . .He was really sad.
As he walked down the hill toward town wondering. . . .How am I going to live without the bells? I have no reason to live.
Almost reaching the the little town below snuggled deep within the valley he heard the bells begin to ring. . . .He turned and listened. . . . He just realized how really beautiful they were and he had never heard them before from this perspective. . . and he now had the best reason for living . . . .ever.